Facing Truths
by Writer's Dilemma
Summary: Her aim was to go out, but not be the subject of anyone's interest. Now, the Savior of all people was chatting her up about details of a life she didn't have - Regina magically alters her appearance to blend in with the people of Storybrooke...only she happens to stand out to a certain blonde sheriff. Post Season 3 with no curse recast. Rated M for future sexy times.
1. Chapter 1

**I got this idea, and it wouldn't leave my head. Hope you enjoy this while I try to figure out where to go with my other main series.**

Regina Mills stared at her reflection in the bedroom vanity. She looked as tired as she felt now that her makeup was removed. There were purple bags under her eyes, and a weariness clung to her body. Her shoulders were actually slumped a little, and her hair was messy after the shower she took. She sighed deeply, continuing to rake over her appearance.

It had been several months since her journey to Neverland with the Savior, the Charmings, Rumple, and Hook. Though their mission to rescue Henry and lock Pan away had been successful, she found herself losing sleep on many nights. The entire trip had left a foul taste in her mouth, and she couldn't shake the memory of the terror she felt when she watched her son give his own heart to Pan.

The feeling left her jerking awake from many restless sleeps, covered in a sticky layer of cold sweat. Each nightmare would take her from her bed so she could peer into Henry's room, making sure he was safe. However, now that he had been reunited with his family, his father in particular, Henry spent a lot less time there. There were also the long stretches where Emma had custody of him. Those periods were the loneliest.

Despite stepping up and actually playing the role of the hero during her time in Neverland, she didn't exactly forge new bonds of friendship with her companions. Furthermore, no one else in Storybrooke was there to witness her deeds. Snow White had tried to validate her actions, but the people remained suspicious and resentful toward her.

There was no way to avoid the stares and whispers when she was outside the confines of her mansion. There was no way people would look at her and _not_ see the Evil Queen. To them, she would always be the enemy, no matter what she did to contradict that title.

Not that the woman thought she genuinely deserved their forgiveness. After all, she did have a personal hand in most of their misery. Whether it was the Curse, or her having killed someone they knew or loved, she was the one to blame. She was the one who razed villages to the ground, killed men for minor insults, and unraveled lives in her hunt for Snow White. When it came down to it, a handful of good deeds would in no way redeem a lifetime of evil. Regina was not the hero, and she knew she would never view herself as such.

She may never be given a place in the halls of the good, those who selflessly put themselves in danger for the protection of others. She would never be loved the way the Charmings were, or idolized like the Savior; however, Regina was still human. She didn't like unrelenting isolation. In fact, there were times when she rather enjoyed being in the company of others. But, when the cost of that company was narrow-eyed stares and vicious whispers, she found her desire for it waning.

On this particular night, though, Regina was feeling especially lonely. Henry was with his other mother, and the house felt much too large and empty. In Neverland, she was never alone. Now that she returned to Storybrooke, she went back to being shunned again by almost everyone. The only exceptions seemed to be Henry, and his biological mother.

Regina has had a rather unconventional and uneasy relationship with Emma Swan, if it could even be defined as a relationship at all. They had gone from hateful rivals to reluctant allies. Their time in Neverland had taught them how great their power was when they worked in tandem, but it did not make them friends.

Since their return, Emma has continued to be civil with Regina, and has even tried to spend some time with the brunette; though, most of their interactions were defined by Emma's awkward attempts at chit chat, and Regina's steeliness cutting visits short. Regina was sure those visits were for Henry's sake, and nothing else. Even so, she found herself appreciative of the blonde's attempts at friendliness.

When it came down to it, none of it was ever enough, and she spent far too many nights alone. Another sigh escaped her lips, as she looked at herself in the mirror again. Even Tinkerbelle's company seemed to be waning as the young fairy was finding her place in her new realm.

A noise of disgust sounded in her throat. What was she doing sitting around, throwing a pity party for herself? No one was forcing her to stay in. There was nothing that required her immediate attention, and no one was in need of her. Maybe that was the answer? Maybe she just needed to be a little less... _Regina_.

She focused on the mirror again, and her eyes flashed purple. The color faded, and her irises were a mild shade of blue, instead of brown. Her face lengthened and narrowed lightly, while her hair grew about six inches longer and turned an unremarkable shade of brown. Regina's features had become slightly more delicate, her eyebrows were tilted to give a more vulnerable look. Even the pitch of her voice had gone up slightly.

The face staring back at her was one that no one would recognize as Regina Mills. She had replaced the Evil Queen with a nobody. A girl with no history and no titles. She could blend in, and be around people without the glares and whispers. A smirk slipped across this girl's face, and she stood up, striding purposefully to the closet. She came out dressed in a mild, unassuming blouse, and the singular pair of jeans that Regina owned.

The pants felt slightly ill-fitting, and the roughness of denim made her cringe. How some people could wear it every day escaped her. She went back to the vanity and applied a minimal amount of makeup. She was supposed to blend, not stand out. When she was satisfied with her appearance, she realized she had one more problem facing her.

Her car was much too distinctive to drive. It would draw far too much attention, and break her facade. Of course, she couldn't very well teleport to her destination in front of everyone either. Her magic was still her unique violet signature; however, if she teleported to a nearby but out of the way place, she could simply walk from a short distance. It was a solid enough plan, and she really needed a drink.

Regina closed her eyes, and felt her magic flare beneath her skin. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in the shadow of an alley about a block away from the town's sole bar. She magically created a fake ID to match her new identity and set off to her destination.

* * *

It was much too loud in the cramped space, and she made the mistake of wanting to go out on a Friday night. It seemed the whole town was packed in there. Drinks were flowing freely, and everyone was busy with someone or doing something.

Regina sat at the bar and nursed a vodka cranberry, watching the other people with mild amusement. She had no idea that people took billiards so seriously in their tiny hamlet, even after the return of their true identities. Watchers and players alike were betting on games, and sharing pitchers of beer, laughing at failed trick shots and drunken stumbles.

Other people were dancing to the pounding music, and Regina rolled her eyes when she turned her attention to them. The more alcohol in the dancers' bellies, the racier the dancing got. Some of it was downright inappropriate, and she almost had half a mind to call the sheriff for public indecency.

If there was one thing she noticed most of all, though, it was that no one paid her any attention. She was completely invisible to everyone around her. Regina rather enjoyed the lack of stares and whispers. No one was putting up an act of fear or anger around her, and she could watch them as they enjoyed a bit of frivolity.

Regina swiveled around on her bar stool, and asked for a refill on her drink. A person settled onto the stool to her right, and Regina's gaze was immediately caught be a flash of red leather. She tensed suddenly, and turned to look fully at her. It was none other than Emma Swan settling in beside her, asking for a beer.

Regina did not look away, and it was only after the blonde had taken her first swig did she turn to look at the woman beside her. Emma was greeted with an alarmed expression on the girl's face, and her own quickly matched it.

"Whoa, is this seat taken or something?" She got half off of the stool, ready to move. It was then that Regina remembered that Emma had no idea who she was, and her facial expression must have appeared as some kind of ridiculous assault.

"Oh, no. It's not taken." She cringed at how uncertain her higher pitched voice sounded.

"Well, if I'm invading your space, I can move," the blonde offered lightly.

Regina didn't actually know how to react. In her normal persona, she would just be able to sass her until she was left in peace, but this was different. The way Emma regarded her was a little softer, and definitely less wary. Her defenses were down, and the sheriff wasn't anticipating an attack. Regina couldn't deny her curiosity at seeing what it would be like to interact with her without all of their usual baggage.

She forced down the eye roll that wanted to escape for what she was about to say. "No, please. It's fine. I just wasn't expecting to be sitting next to the Savior, is all." She ground her teeth for simpering at the younger woman.

However, Emma scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please, I don't need people putting me on some silly pedestal for anything. I might be the Savior and whatever, but it doesn't make me better than anyone. And it _really_ doesn't define me."

"Titles open many doors, though," Regina stated simply.

"Yeah, and I've found they have a habit of shoving you into some sort of box." Emma took a long sip of her beer, and Regina hummed in agreement, not elaborating any further. "Shit, sorry. I haven't even bothered to introduce myself. I'm Emma Swan, but you already know that, I guess."

"I do," Regina commented mildly. "Emma Swan, full-time sheriff, part-time savior, and a princess to boot."

Emma groaned. "Don't remind me. I'm just glad that there's no real kingdom here to rule or anything. I'm happy letting Regina run the place."

Regina tensed slightly at the mention of her name, and she focused more intently on the sheriff. "You're happy with that woman running the town?"

Emma shrugged and took another drink. "She's got a name you know. Besides, she knows what she's doing. What, you think my mom knows how to run a real town? She spent thirty years as a school teacher; she's got no clue."

Confusion masked Regina's face, not expecting that kind of reaction. "Why are you defending her?" she asked bluntly, and the blonde rolled her eyes in return.

"I get it, that she did a bunch of bad shit in her past, but that doesn't mean she's bad at what she does. She's a royal bitch a lot of the times, but she's dedicated, and she seriously knows what she's doing.

"Besides, she's changed a bunch. I know you all want me to be some shiny hero like my parents, but in truth, Regina's saved my ass a more than a few times, and not the other way around. In fact, she's saved all of our lives, putting herself in the way of harm more than once. _And_ she's protected my son with her life. Does that sound like a villain to you?" She fixed Regina with a hard, honest look, almost daring the other woman to contradict her.

The brunette found herself trying to process an entirely foreign feeling swirling in her gut. While it was true that her relationship with Emma had changed significantly, she had no idea that the woman was so... _vehement_ in her rush to defend her, and to a stranger, no less.

She found it interesting that Emma made herself less in comparison to Regina, and she was quick to point out that the mayor had endangered herself for the greater good. Confusion roiled in her stomach some more, and she was certain that the vodka was finally hitting her.

"Shit, I'm sorry. Here I am, attacking you, and I don't even know your name. Some hero, huh?" Regina merely cocked an eyebrow in response. "That's it? Not gonna give me your name?" Emma flashed her a challenging but playful smile.

"Zoe," Regina blurted, spitting out the first name that popped into her head.

"Zoe...?" The blonde was probing for a last name, and the brunette didn't have one.

"Just Zoe, for tonight. If it's all the same to you."

Emma's eyes tracked carefully over Regina's altered face. "You know, I've never seen you before."

"There's more people here than you realize," Regina casually threw out.

"Yeah, but, I think I'd've at least recognized your face. I'm no good with names, but I do remember faces. I know for sure that I've never seen you before."

Regina shrugged, and swirled her finger through her drink. "Has it ever occurred to you that some of us don't want to be noticed?"

"That's true. God knows I've tried."

"Not all of us can be princesses and saviors. Most of us simply wish to be."

"And you think I'm not one of those people? I wish I wasn't so..." Emma sighed heavily. "A little normalcy would be nice. I need some solid ground, and more time to be with my son."

Regina fought to keep her expression from souring at the mention of Henry. "Is he with his other mother?" she asked as politely as she could muster.

"No, actually. I have him for a long weekend, but my parents felt they needed some 'proper one-on-one time' with their grandson. They took him out to see a movie and stuff."

"So you came to a bar." Regina's tone was more clipped than she intended.

"Do I hear judgment?" Emma's voice was playfully mocking, making it clear that she wasn't offended. "'Cause that's totally unfair, seeing as how _you're_ here too, _and_ you were here before me. Besides, I'm only having one drink anyway."

"You couldn't drink your beer at home?"

Emma shrugged a little, playing with the bottle. She stared hard at the worn bar counter. "Didn't feel like being alone tonight." Her gaze remained fixed on a singular gouge in the countertop.

Regina saw a look of pain on the other woman's face, and she felt a similar one in her own chest. "You're not the only one," she offered quietly. Emma looked over at her, a small smile warming her eyes.

"Do you live on your own?" she asked the brunette.

"Why do you ask?" Regina felt the stirrings of panic in her chest. Her aim was to go out, but not be the subject of anyone's interest. Now, the Savior of all people was chatting her up about details of a life she didn't have. It never occurred to her to think of a basic cover story for the woman she was masquerading as.

"Just trying to get to know you. If that's too personal, I can go with something else."

"It's fine, I'm just not sure why you're so interested in me. To answer your question, I do live alone."

"Maybe you interest me? Is it bad to want a new person to talk to?"

Regina snorted, and regarded the sheriff with a curious look. "No. No, I don't suppose it is a bad thing to want to get to know someone."

Emma's whole face lit up when she said that, and she was quick to make another inquiry. "So, you got any pets?"

Regina had to think on the fly now, and the vodka was definitely swaying her judgment. "I have a cat. Aberforth." She wanted to slap herself for that answer, but there was no taking it back now.

Emma wrinkled her nose. "Not much of a cat person, really." Regina thanked all the gods that the blonde wasn't asking for pictures of the animal she didn't actually own. "I'm not really into dogs much either, come to think of it. I do really like otters, though, but I'm pretty sure you can't have one of those as a pet." She smiled goofily at the thought.

"No, I don't think that's legal. But you're right; they do have a certain charm to them."

"I like the way they hold hands. It's like they're so attached and in love, they just couldn't stand to be apart." Emma's smile broadened.

A cynical little noise escaped from Regina's throat. So, the Savior had a sappy side. "Did you know, of all the monogamous animals on our planet, the most faithful is the albatross?"

"An alba-what?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "The albatross. They're sea birds. Rather large creatures. Beautiful too. Once, long ago, they were viewed as good luck for sailors...some of the time. As it turns out, of all the animals who mate for life, the albatross is the most likely to truly stay together for the duration of their lives. They have a rather remarkable ritual for choosing mates, and will remember their chosen partner, even if they become separated for great lengths of time."

Emma blinked a few times, her lips parted in awe. "Whoa, I did not know any of that. Where did you learn that?"

Regina smirked. "The history of it, I learned from tales from the Enchanted Forest. As for the monogamy? Read an article on the internet." Emma looked impressed, and Regina's smirk became more pronounced. "I like birds," she stated simply.

"Birds feel...impersonal, to me. You don't just snuggle a bird like you would a cat or something. They fly off on you, and just...they don't wanna be caged."

"I agree. I like birds, but not as companions. I hear your mother has a different opinion, though."

Emma scoffed and pulled a face. "My mother likes to have different opinions on lots of things."

"You don't agree with her much?" Regina had never talked with Emma about Snow, seeing as how the woman still left a sour taste in her mouth. She felt it was better to avoid the topic of her former enemy as much as possible.

Another shrug shifted the blonde's shoulders. "Depends, but she really does hold different ideals from me. And our perspectives of the world are completely different. She sees a lot more black and white than I do. Her cursed identity matched more with my personality than her real one does. Now? She looks at me like I'm wounded in some way, and I know she feels guilty about what she said in Nev-" Her voice trailed off, and a look of consternation crossed her face.

"Too personal?" Regina offered as innocently as possible.

"For tonight, I think so. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"I don't know," Emma mumbled. "Guess I'm sorry for letting my mouth run away on me. It's a problem of mine. You could say I've got a raging case of foot in mouth disease." She smiled shyly at the other woman.

"There are worse things to suffer from." Regina put in mildly, sipping on her drink.

"That's true. So...now that we're both not alone tonight, wanna play a game of pool?" Emma spun around on her stool to face the tables.

"No, thank you. I don't play."

Emma fixed the other woman with an incredulous stare. "So, you're that bad, huh?"

"Well...probably. I've never played a game in my life." Regina turned around as well, and she looked over to see Emma staring at her skeptically.

"You mean to say that you've been stuck in this town for thirty years, and you've _never_ played pool?" The blonde saw Regina shake her head. " _Please_ tell me you've at least gone bowling?"

"That, I have done." The brunette smiled softly to herself. She used to take Henry when he was young, and she always found a way to let him win.

"And...?" Emma gave the other woman a playful nudge of her elbow.

"I was dreadful."

"Yeah, but did you have fun?"

"I..." Regina paused for a long moment. "I did."

"So you _can_ have fun!"

Regina slowly turned a murderous glare onto the Savior. "When did I ever say I couldn't have fun?"

"When you said you'd never played pool."

"Hitting little balls around a table with a stick is hardly my idea of fun."

"Right," Emma drawled. "Because slinging huge balls at a pile of pins is so much more sophisticated."

"At least bowling is a legitimate sport. Sort of."

Emma snorted into her beer when she heard that. "Yeah, okay, Zoe. Have you ever seen people who play pool professionally? They're fucking crazy. And stupidly talented at it. My guess is, the only people you've ever seen play pool are..." She gestured to the small, drunken crowd around the scuffed up pool tables in the bar.

"You might have a point," Regina responded evasively.

"What? No, I totally have a point! Come on. Get off that stool; I'm gonna show you how great the game is!" Emma was instantly on her feet, her eyes shining happily. As Regina regarded the blonde, she found that the younger woman looked like an over-excited puppy.

"Please, Emma. I'd rather not." Regina stayed firmly on her stool.

"What? Why not?"

"I just...I don't think it would be a good idea. In fact, I should probably be leaving." Regina turned back to the bar, pulling money out of her purse. When she stood up, she turned back to the blonde, and found that the poor woman looked completely crestfallen.

"Did I do something?" Emma's voice was hesitant.

"No, Emma. But, it is late, and I should leave. I assure you, you did not scare me off." She offered a small smile to support her words.

"Then..." Emma nervously jammed her hands into her pockets. "Could I have your number?"

Regina's jaw dropped slightly, and she felt a blush rise in her cheeks. Of all the things she did not expect to happen, this was the very last one. She quickly collected herself when she realized the blonde had put herself in a vulnerable place.

"Not tonight, Sheriff Swan." Regina countered her rejection with an unexpectedly soft smile.

"Does this mean I'll see you again?" Emma's face was friendly and hopeful, and Regina found her smile turning into a mischievous smirk.

"It's a small town," she said, and the brunette turned with a sly smile, leaving no time for Emma to respond.

 **You can always find me on Tumblr at writers-dilemma. tumblr. com and Beta credits to Jasmine at obligatory-regal-name. tumblr. com**


	2. Chapter 2

**I apologize for the long wait. Something about this chapter was difficult to write. On top of that, I'm struggling with some severe life/emotional changes. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

Regina was sitting in her study, writing in a notebook and nursing a glass of red wine. Her day had been quiet, and once again, lonely. Henry was still with his other mother, and there were no visitors; there rarely ever were.

In a fit of boredom, she decided that she wanted to make her new persona a little more real. The page she was penning was titled _Interests_ , and the list was hilariously short. Regina looked more than a little frustrated. It was as if the length of the list was simultaneously mocking her inability to invent a human being and trying to tell her to give up on her idea altogether.

She peered at the paper, briefly considering setting it ablaze, but she squashed the urge. That would be accepting defeat, and defeat was not something Regina Mills ever did very well. After another sip of wine, she screwed up her eyes, trying to think of something her Zoe character would be interested in. So far, all her list read was:

 _-Birds_

 _-Cats?_

 _-Maybe poetry_

 _-Baking_

 _-Global warming_

It was pathetic, and she took a larger swallow of wine, contemplating adding _vintage clothing_ to the list. She frowned, realizing that she actually did need a new wardrobe for her alternate persona. She shook herself. How far was she really going to go with this sick little game?

A sound echoed though the house, and her head snapped up in confusion. She heard a firm knock on the door. It was after 8pm; no one should be at her door that late. Another knock sounded, and she stood up, heading for the front door. Her hand was poised, ready to turn the evening intruder to ashes should she need to.

Regina pulled open the door, and blinked in surprise. Emma Swan was standing nervously on the other side. Her hands were jammed stiffly into her pockets, her shoulders tense. She was nothing like the woman Regina chatted amicably with the night before.

"Miss Swan?" Her tone came out harsher than she intended.

"Hi."

"Is something wrong? Is Henry...?"

"He's fine," Emma said, waving away the brunette's concern.

"Then why are you here?"

"I came here to talk to you." The blonde tried to sound confident, but her toe-scuffing and shifting gaze severely undermined it.

"You couldn't have called first? Or do you think your being the Savior gives you a pass on manners?" Regina wasn't actually sure why she was being so rude to the blonde, when Emma had done nothing to provoke her.

"Hey, I didn't barge in did I?" Emma bit back. "I knocked. Obviously, this is a bad time. I'll try again later." She started to turn when Regina's voice stopped her.

"Emma, wait. I was being rude." It was as close to an apology as Regina was willing to yield, but she stepped aside nonetheless.

The Savior regarded her warily for a moment, before stepping into the mansion. She shook off her leather jacket, and Regina took it to place it in the coat closet. The pair silently went to the kitchen, where Regina pulled down a wine glass for Emma, filling it for her.

"Miss Swan, might I ask why you are here, and not with our son?" She leaned casually against the island counter, and her guest mirrored her.

"The kid's old enough to be on his own for a night. Besides, he's at that age where he doesn't wanna be watched by his moms all the time. He knows where the food is, and he knows how to get himself to bed. He'll be fine."

The brunette nodded, and she allowed silence to buzz uncomfortably in the room. For her part, Emma sipped at her wine, trying not to fidget. Both women were waiting for the other to make the first move, but neither seemed willing to give.

Regina took in the younger woman's appearance, and what saw upset her more than she thought it would. Emma's eyes were sharp, betraying her wariness, and her body was tense, telling of her suspicion. She was nothing like the casual, relaxed woman in the bar.

Emma saw Regina like some kind of viper, and the woman was simply waiting for yet another venomous strike. Every conversation, every meeting they ever had was marked by some sort of agenda. Even after Neverland, they seemed incapable of talking for the sake of talking. And Regina resented that.

She resented Emma for being so easy with her new alter ego. She resented the fact that the blonde was friendly and forthcoming with Zoe, but guarded and defensive with Regina. And tonight? Emma said she was there to talk, but that never meant a friendly chat. Here she was, with yet another agenda, and Regina hated it. That was the source of her current irritation with the younger woman.

"Emma." Regina winced at the desperation that bled through her voice. "You obviously don't want to be here any longer than necessary, so just tell me what you wanted to discuss, and then you can be on your way."

Emma set down her glass and, stared Regina in the eye. "I didn't come here to start a fight with you, Regina."

"Then what did you come for?"

"I came to ask you how you were doing." Emma steadily held their gaze.

"You what?" Regina's breath hitched in her throat, and confusion washed over her.

"It's just...I d'know. Something feels off. I hardly see you around the town nowadays. In fact, hardly anyone sees you now. I came to make sure nothing was wrong."

Regina's general mistrust and present bitterness with the blonde made her lash out against her concern. "Right. You wanted to ensure that I wasn't working on casting another curse, or trying to poison someone. Because my isolation is a sign of danger, no?" Regina's eyes were narrowed. She was reluctantly unwilling to believe that Emma was there simply for her own wellbeing. There was _always_ an ulterior motive.

"See! There you go! You just twist something kind into something cruel!"

"Maybe I'm just doing the work for you. I cannot do a nice deed without there being suspicion and mistrust behind it. So why do I owe any of you any better?"

"So you can show them you aren't that person anymore! That's why." Tempers were spiking between them, and the air grew thick and hot as voices rose.

"No, Miss Swan. I shouldn't have to prove myself any more to them! I saved our son, and helped to protect you, your family, Baelfire, and that vulgar pirate! I haven't harmed anyone, nor have I acted the Evil Queen, but that's all anyone sees.

"Everything I have done is somehow _still_ not good enough for those fools out there. How is it so hard to gain their forgiveness, when your drunken boyfriend was given a pass in a matter of _days?_ " Regina's voice broke, and angry tears glistened in her eyes.

"I might remind you, Miss Swan, that he spent more than one hundred years kidnapping boys to deliver them to the very monster we had to save our son from. He _shot_ Belle, just to get to Gold. He conspired _against you_ and worked with my mother in the Enchanted Forest.

"But it's okay, because he helped to rescue Henry. Hook wasn't even there to help him! He was there to get into your pants! Is that why he's been forgiven, while I remain crucified? Sleeping with the Savior earns you a get out of jail free card? Will I receive the same courtesy if I sleep with you?" Regina seemed to be on the verge of scarily-controlled hysterics, and Emma's voice was stuck in her throat.

"And you come here, in all your self-righteousness, and ask if I am okay. You say that you are concerned, that something 'feels off.' Well, dear, allow me to answer you. I stay here in this godforsaken house, alone, day after day, because I can no longer stand the whispers...the stares. I am forever the villain, the one to blame, and I am so very _tired,_ Emma. I'm tired of pretending like it doesn't bother me.

"Now you're here, in my home, asking me if I'm okay, as though you were wondering if I've recovered from a nasty cold. This isn't a cold, Emma. It's a cancer, and it might have stopped growing, but it's not gone away. Go home to Henry. Go to your imbecilic pirate. I am much too tired to deal with your high and mighty drivel."

There was a very long silence following the brunette's rant, and a blush slowly crept up her cheeks. She did not intend to get so raw and honest with Emma, but it was true that she was tired of everything, and everyone.

"I didn't know." Emma's voice was small, and she had no idea how to respond to everything that was just dumped at her feet.

"Of course you didn't," Regina snapped back. "How could you? No one asks."

Emma frowned. "That's not fair. I came tonight to ask you-"

"No, Miss Swan. You came here to absolve yourself of some lingering guilt you're feeling. And once you've done so, you can skip on home to Henry, and your one-handed charlatan."

"You know what, Regina? You try and push me out, and keep me at a distance. You want to pretend like it doesn't matter to you. You want to pretend that I don't care, because being alone seems easier. But, after everything you _just_ told me, it's not easier. It's hurting you.

"I don't know what we are...friends, allies, whatever, but we aren't enemies anymore. So how about we start acting like it. Having you by my side in Neverland was actually pretty cool. You're not alone in this."

Regina scoffed at the end of Emma's speech. "I have never been more alone. I have been left behind, and maybe I deserve it, but all of you have your lives and loves now. We can't interact without there being hostility between us, so tell me how I'm supposed to be comforted by your little offer? How can I trust you?"

"At least I'm here. Try taking a chance, Regina, and for the love of God, _stop_ saying that I'm with Hook! He and I are not together."

"Is that so? You seem to be having a rather difficult time convincing people of that. Does he know you two aren't dating? For him, you might need to define the difference between sex and an actual relationship," Regina smirked.

"We are _not_ sleeping together," Emma growled. The brunette simply cocked an eyebrow in response. "Has anyone ever told you how difficult you are?"

"If that's all you've got, dear, then you need to up your game."

The sheriff rolled her eyes, and raked a hand through her hair in frustration. "Don't you get it? I don't want to up the game anymore. I want us to be civil. Hell, maybe even one day I'd like for us to be friends."

"Friends? You want us to be friends? To come over, braid each other's hair and talk about boy troubles? Have a glass of wine, play board games?"

"What, are we teenagers now or something? Regina, we're both Henry's mothers. Like it or not, you and I are gonna be a part of each other's lives forever now. Do you really wanna spend all that time fighting?"

"Maybe I do," Regina said slowly, but she knew that wasn't true. She could be civil with Emma. In fact, she would enjoy that, but that would mean opening up to the infuriating blonde. That would mean acknowledging amicable feelings toward the woman. The thought of that was more frightening than anything, and pushing it away was safer than inviting disaster.

"God, why do you do that? Why do you lie to me?" Emma appeared genuinely hurt, but her anger won over in the end.

"Everybody lies," Regina evaded.

"Yeah, only you and I know that I always know when you're lying, so what's the point in bothering?" the blonde bit out, glaring fiercely at the other woman.

"Force of habit," came the brunette's clipped response.

"Bullshit. That's a lame excuse, Regina."

"What do you want me to say?" Regina threw her hands angrily into the air.

"The truth!" Emma shouted, her emerald eyes blazing.

The older woman didn't respond; instead, she crossed her arms defensively, pursing her lips tightly. The air was so dense with both women's fury, but Emma stood glowering, waiting for a response. Regina was equally stubborn, and she refused to give even an inch to the blonde.

When that realization hit Emma, she let out an angry huff, spinning on her heel, then turning back to face Regina. Her temper got the better of her, and she spit out the thoughts that raged the loudest in her mind.

"You're a chickenshit, Regina. You're too damn scared to own up to anything you may or may not feel. That's your fucking problem, but don't go complaining about being lonely when you lock out the only person who _does_ care. You've dug this hole yourself."

"I see," was Regina's quiet, bitter response. Emma immediately regretted what she said when she saw the hurt behind sad, brown eyes.

"Regina, shit...I-"

"Go." The brunette's voice was still low, but the command was firm.

"I'm sorry-"

"If you do not leave my house this instant, I will _incinerate_ you," Regina hissed.

Emma didn't need another warning. She desperately wanted to apologize for her cruelty, but the older woman was far too angered to hear any of her remorse. She locked eyes with Regina for a long moment, hoping to convey her sorrow, but the stony gaze she received crushed that hope entirely. Emma half jogged from the mansion. She left in such haste that she left behind her leather jacket, and she briefly wondered if Regina was going to return it or burn it.

* * *

 **Don't forget to let me know what you think, or what you would like to see**


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry that this took so long. Things are still kinda weird for me right now. This is a long chapter, and I hope it makes up for the wait!

* * *

Regina stood in a darkened alley nestled between some buildings across the street from Granny's diner. It was Friday, and the place seemed to be almost as busy as the Rabbit Hole - though, it attracted a different crowd. She decided to give Zoe another go out in public, but decided on a location with more sober patrons. Storybrooke was small enough that that limited her options, and Granny's was the most desirable place on that short list.

What Emma had said early that week about Henry being at an age where he didn't want to be watched all the time held true. He had been more isolated and independent throughout his following days spent at the mansion, but his attitude toward Regina was far from aloof. She didn't blame him, remembering her own adolescent turbulence. In fact, it made it quite easy for her to leave the house, as he didn't fire his usual barrage of questions her way.

So there she stood, shifting uncomfortably in the outfit she picked out for Zoe. It was something that screamed everything opposite her own fashion style. She tugged at the rolled sleeves of her denim button-down, which she wore open over a simple, brown tank top. The tank was tucked into the waist of her light blue jeans, whose hem was cuffed over a pair of plain flats.

She wore her hair in a braid, and her makeup was understated and mild. She still didn't want to stand out, and hoped her ensemble would allow her to fly under the radar again. With the exception of Emma, Zoe's presence was completely ignored at the bar. Regina hoped that same luck would hold at the diner.

She tugged at her sleeves one last time before emerging from the alley across the road. She took a short breath before entering the building, suppressing her cringe when the bell over the door announced her entrance. The more curious patrons turned to look, but Regina couldn't stop her lips from parting in shock.

As Regina Mills, those eyes would seek her out and then linger. Or the owners would turn to whisper heatedly to the person they were eating with. As Zoe, all those who turned to look merely shot a curious glance her way before returning to their previous activities. It was a relief to the woman that her disguise worked, but it broke her heart at just how differently everyone saw Regina Mills.

As she made her way to an empty booth near the back, she couldn't help but feel someone's eyes following her movement. When she sat down, she cast a quick glance around the space and found the person who was staring at her. She groaned internally when it happened to be Emma Swan. Of course the blonde was there. How could she expect to have an Emma-free life, even when she wasn't herself?

She cast a second glance she sheriff's way, and saw the woman whispering fervently to Ruby. Regina had a strong suspicion that she was the topic of their quiet discussion, and she felt a flare of annoyance beneath her skin. She went out as Zoe to avoid whispers, not continue to be gossiped about.

Her irritation caused her magic to prickle in her veins, and she hated not knowing what was being said. She closed her eyes briefly, and allowed her power to flow a little more freely, and used it to enhance her hearing. She focused in on the chatting duo at the front counter.

"Who, the girl who just walked in?" came Ruby's voice.

"Yeah, see her? She's at the booth near the back," Emma explained.

"You think that's her? The chick you told me about from last week?"

Regina choked. Emma had told the wolf about her new persona? She knew she had left some sort of impression on the blonde, but she had no idea that she'd become the topic of conversation for Emma.

"I'm positive. It's gotta be her. Have you ever seen her before?" The sheriff sounded confused, maybe even a little frustrated.

"I can't tell from here..."

"Well, you're the waitress. Do your thing."

"Has anyone ever told you you're a creep, Em?"

"Yes, now go get her a hamburger or something. She's wasting away."

Regina only heard a responding scoff, and then the sound of the waitress' heels clicking. She took another breath, unsure of how she was going to react under the young woman's scrutiny. It's one thing to be judged by a stranger, but another to be judged by one obtaining an opinion for a third party.

Ruby swept up to the booth, smiling broadly, placing a bundle of silverware on the table. "Sorry for the wait, ma'am. Can I get you something to drink?" She set a menu down as well.

Regina had always been conscious of what she had eaten, and everything in her wanted to adhere to those deeply rooted habits; however, she had to remind herself that she wasn't Regina Mills anymore. She was Zoe, and she had to maintain their differences.

"Yes, I would like an unsweetened iced tea with extra lemon, thank you." She smiled politely, and the brunette nodded, strutting away.

As soon as Ruby had made her way back behind the front counter, Regina enhanced her hearing again. The blonde had started questioning her immediately, impatience smothering her voice.

"So? Do you know her?"

"I'm not sure. She's plain at first glance, but there's something about her...I think I definitely would've remembered her if I'd seen her before. That being said, she might be from outside, but Rumple's spell protected the town from that."

"So, what? She's just been under our noses the whole time?"

"If you're so damn curious, why don't you _ask_ her? She's the one who will have the answers, not me. I have to go get her drink." Ruby walked off without waiting for a response.

Regina immediately cut off her magic, not wanting to know whether or not the blonde was going to join her. She busied herself with the menu, but she wasn't actually reading it. She jumped when a glass was placed on her table, and she looked up to see Ruby, not Emma.

"Here's your tea. Do you know what you want, or do you need a few minutes?" The leggy brunette flashed a smile her way.

"I think I need a few. I'm having trouble deciding what I want."

"No problem, just give me a holler when you're ready, yeah? Take all the time you need."

Regina thanked her, and watched her walk away. Funny, Ruby seemed to treat Zoe much the same as she treated Regina. Granted, most of her interactions with the woman had been at the diner, and the young brunette was just being professional. Yet, she couldn't deny the fact that Ruby smiled easily at her, regardless of her identity.

She turned to her drink, squeezing her lemon slices into it when someone knocked lightly on her table. The brunette looked up to see Emma Swan smiling down at her, and she gulped nervously.

"Heya, stranger," Emma greeted playfully.

"Miss Sw- Emma. How nice to see you." Regina smiled tightly, still upset with the blonde after their last discussion at the mansion.

"Totally. It's funny, I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again." The mayor arched a curious brow. "I thought you might've been some kind of ghost."

"A ghost? Really? What gave you that idea?"

"May I?" Emma gestured to the seat opposite the other woman. Regina was reluctant to give permission, but there was something in the way that the sheriff's eyes lit up. The woman wasn't there to bicker or badger, and Regina still couldn't fight her own curiosity. She nodded, and watched Emma eagerly sit down.

"Thanks. As I was saying, I thought you were, like, a ghost or something. I've never seen you before, and all I have is your first name. Hadn't seen you since last week, and I was starting to think I might've imagined you."

Regina averted her eyes, and busied herself with pouring sugar into her iced tea. Emma's excitement over seeing Zoe again was palpable, and, quite frankly, it made her uncomfortable. The last time someone was this happy to see her, she was a teenager. That was a lifetime ago, and a feeling she'd purposely forgotten.

"Well, here I am. Not a ghost, a mirage, or even a hallucination," Regina commented dryly. To her utter confusion, the blonde chuckled.

"Hey, any one of those things could say that to me. For all I know, you're pulling a Tyler Durden on me, and you're plotting some major social demise, but really, it's been me all along," she said conspiratorially.

"A Tyler what?" Regina frowned in confusion, completely lost.

"Tyler Durden? You know, from _Fight Club?_ The movie? I mean, it was a book, but most people don't know that."

"I can assure you I haven't read anything as juvenile as a book called _Fight Club._ "

Emma snorted. "Trust me, it's anything _but_ juvenile. It's actually a good read. I have a copy, if you're interested."

"You want to loan me a book?" To say that Regina was surprised would have been an understatement. She didn't know that Emma read books for pleasure. In fact, she wasn't terribly sure that the woman could read at all, but those were more her own spiteful judgments and not one based on fact at all.

"It's a page-turner. And you said you liked books when we chatted." Emma smiled easily, and Regina was once again completely caught by the differences in their interactions.

"I did...you remembered."

"Of course I remembered. Why would I forget?"

"I'm...Can I ask you a rather frank question?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Why are you so interested in me?" Regina cringed at the way it sounded, and rushed to correct herself. "As in...You're awfully curious about me. I have to wonder _why_ I'm of such interest."

Emma chuckled at Regina's slip up. "I'm not entirely sure. That's probably a big part of it, you know? But also, you're kinda _new._ I've seriously never seen you before, and you've got this whole air of mystery feeling. You haven't told me your last name, and the only way I can talk to you is by running into you by raw chance. I can't deny that you've piqued my curiosity."

"Ah, well, I'm not sure if I should feel flattered, or if I should be locking my doors and checking behind the shower curtain?" Regina cracked her first true smile of the evening, and she found that she enjoyed joking with the blonde.

Ruby swept up to the table, smiling curiously between the two women. "Em, I thought you'd left."

"Nah, I'm chatting with my new friend. Rubes, this is Zoe."

Regina's breath caught in her throat. Emma quite casually threw out the word _friend_. She didn't know what had happened between them for the term to apply so quickly, but she found herself completely baffled.

Kathryn had been the only person to call her friend in the last thirty years, and after Regina's attempt to make it seem as though Mary Margaret had murdered the woman, the brunette felt guilty and unworthy of the title. The fact that Emma was naming her as a friend so quickly shook Regina to the core.

"So you're the girl Emma hasn't shut up about all week," Ruby said with a wolfish smile.

"Seriously, Ruby?!" the blonde hissed, as a furiously pink blush crept up her cheeks. Regina watched open-mouthed.

"C'mon, Em! You've talked about her almost as much as you talk about Reg- _Ow!_ " The blonde had kicked the waitress, and gave her a very pointed look. "Right, sorry. Anyway, do you know what you wanna order, Zoe?"

Regina shook herself. So Emma had been talking about her alter ego all week? She was starting to regret this whole charade, feeling it turning into something much larger than she ever intended.

A blush crept up her cheeks when she realized she had been too busy talking to Emma to bother figuring out what she wanted. She peered down at the menu, tempted to go with her usual, healthy option, but this was Zoe. Her appetite had mostly vanished, and she picked the only dish that looked tolerable, without being filling.

"I think I'll just have a plate of fries." Her blush deepened.

"Just the fries?" Ruby confirmed.

"What? No way," Emma intervened. Both women looked surprised at her outburst, and she chuckled nervously. "I'm just saying...If you're getting fries, you gotta get a milkshake."

"Why?" Regina questioned.

"To dip the fries in, of course!" Emma smiled, and Ruby smacked her lips. All the older woman could do was look at them with horror.

"That sounds _repulsive._ "

"What? No, come on, it's so good!"

"I doubt it. Besides, I don't even like milkshakes." The two younger women's jaws dropped in shock at that statement.

"Zoe...how...how can you _not_ like milkshakes?" Emma looked downright devastated, and Regina shrugged evasively. "Wait...Have you ever even _tried_ one?"

"I..." She looked away, oddly embarrassed.

"How can you say you don't like them if you've never tried them?" The playfully wounded expression in the Savior's eyes was so like her son's.

"I just do." The brunette crossed her arms defensively.

"Well...why don't you try something new? I'm not kidding when I say that fries dipped into a chocolate shake is heavenly."

Regina bit her lip in uncertainty. Ordering french fries was already quite the leap for her, but adding a wildly sweet and unhealthy milkshake on top of that? It just wasn't her style. But was it Zoe's?

"Seriously, try it. If you don't like it, I'll pay for it," Emma offered.

Regina huffed and rolled her eyes, but she relented in the end. "Fine," she breathed out. "Add one chocolate milkshake to my order."

"Yesssss!" Emma pumped her fist in the air, and Ruby scribbled the order down on her pad and left. Regina rolled her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Living life is all about trying new things. Besides, you win either way."

"Do I?" Regina teased lightly.

"Yes. If you like it, then there, you've found something awesome to add to your life. And if you don't, then I'm paying for it. It's a win-win."

"If you count disgust as a win, sure."

It was Emma's turn to roll her eyes. Regina watched closely, and she noticed yet another difference. When the blonde usually rolled her eyes, it was with exasperation or irritation. This time, it was all playful with no malice.

"Come on, you're being so negative about this. It's not like I'm trying to make you eat pancakes with cheese on them." Regina shot the sheriff a look of shock and horror. "Yeah, and I'm not making that one up either. I knew a guy who liked to put cheese on his pancakes. No joke. He even used to eat it with Velveeta, until he figured out how nasty that stuff was. He was a funny guy, and I think his sarcasm would give Regina a run for her money."

The brunette stiffened at the mention of her name, her mood souring slightly. "Is that so? You find her sarcastic?" She had to work hard to keep any venom out of her voice.

"Yeah. I mean, have you ever talked to her? That woman is the queen of sass. It's kind of awesome, really. Kinda jealous at how quick-witted she is."

"I've heard she has a sharp tongue. Then again, all the good politicians do," Regina stated lightly.

"If this town wasn't fake and all, I think she could seriously be president. All of her attitude aside, she really does do a good job of running the place. Either way, I didn't join you to talk about her."

"Are you sure," Regina shot back. "From the way Ruby was blathering on, I'd say she's _all_ you talk about." She flashed a triumphant smirk, challenging the blonde.

"Not true! Rubes likes to exaggerate. I also love to talk about my son, food, how much I hate chasing Pongo, and music."

"Along with your opinions on the game of pool, bowling, and cats," the brunette added.

"Hey, cats lick their own butts! I'm allowed not to like them."

"Yes, and dogs will eat shit. We're all flawed, Emma. At least cats do it to keep clean, which is more than I can say for some _people_."

Emma chuckled at the woman's sarcasm, and she was feeling more and more pulled in by the second. "Yeah, people can be pretty gross. We might actually benefit as a species if we were able to lick our own butts. Sadly, like those dogs, some of us _do_ eat shit."

Regina's lips parted in silent, abject revulsion. "I...I didn't realize that actually happened."

"The internet is a horrific miracle of innovation. So, should we change the subject?"

"Yes, please. Anything but this," Regina breathed out, sipping on her drink.

"Anything?" Emma eyed her closely.

"Yes. What we were discussing prior is horrid."

"Okay. Your name, Zoe, is that your cursed name or your real identity?"

"Does it make a difference if it's one or the other?"

"Not really, but I wanna get to know you. It's as good as any place to start."

"It's just a name, Emma. Its origins don't change me as a person."

"Okay, fine. Can I at least have your last name?"

Regina tensed again. Emma was digging for answers Regina still didn't have, and she could only stall for so long. Even so, she attempted to buy herself a little more time. "Why does it matter to you so much?"

"I don't know. People give out that kind of basic info about themselves. Everyone knew my last name about ten hot seconds after I rolled into this town."

"And what if I don't trust you?"

Emma actually laughed at that. "I'm the Savior. You want someone to mistrust, skip on over to Gold's. That man is creepy as all hell, and trusting him is something only the stupid or desperate do." At that moment, the brunette really wanted to bite out a quip about Emma's parents, knowing how many times they sought out the imp; however, she doubted Zoe would have any such knowledge, and she bit her tongue.

"You're not going to let this drop, are you?"

"Nope," Emma said with a smile.

Regina closed her eyes for a long moment, blowing out a heavy sigh. She clawed through her brain for a name, and blurted out the one that she liked the most. "It's Bardales. Zoe Bardales. Happy?"

"Bardales? Cool. Yes, I am happy." Emma smiled broadly at her, and Regina wished she could slap it from the woman's face.

At that moment, Ruby came up to their booth, grinning brightly. "One plate of fries, and a chocolate shake." She set the items down in front of the brunette. "Is there anything else you need?"

Regina eyed the shake. "Perhaps some insulin? I might get diabetes."

Ruby laughed at the comment, and Emma rolled her eyes, but smiled in the end. "I'll leave you girls to it. If you need me, give a shout."

The pair gave their thanks, and then a silence settled around them. The blonde was watching the other woman with excited apprehension, and Regina was staring at her food, trying to remember when she lost her mind. The quiet stretched on.

"Well...?" the sheriff prompted.

"How exactly am I supposed to do this? Do you expect me to pour the drink onto the fries?"

"Ew, no. That would make everything soggy and soupy. Just pick up a fry, and dip it into the shake. I thought it was gonna be gross at first too."

"You mean people other than you do this as well?" The brunette wrinkled her nose.

"Yeah, tons of people do it, so it's gotta be good."

"People are stupid, Emma. We established this."

"Yeah, but food is different. One bite is all I'm asking." Emma fixed the woman with a mock pleading stare, even going so far as to wobble her lip.

"Gods, if it'll wipe that ridiculous look from your face, then fine."

The blonde immediately grinned, and went back to staring down her companion. Regina picked up a fry. It was warm, slightly oily, and crispy. She eyed it as though it had insulted her, and tentatively swiped it through the milkshake. Seeing that the large dollop of ice cream was dangerously close to sliding off, she quickly shoved it into her mouth.

She pulled a face, trying to figure out what was happening in her mouth. The temperature differences were a lot like eating a slice of warm pie with ice cream, but the flavors seemed combative. It was sweet, salty, mild, and overpowering all at once. She chewed a little, allowing the flavors to blend more, and found the end result to be more pleasant than anticipated.

"Well...?" Emma probed for a second time that night, only more urgently.

"It's not as revolting as I thought it would be," Regina conceded quietly.

"Ha! Told you so!" The sheriff grinned smugly. "Dig in, Miss Bardales."

The brunette eyed the mound of fries and the tall glass of chocolate shake. "I'm afraid I'm only a little peckish. Would you, perhaps-" She didn't need to finish her question before Emma reached across the table, picked up a couple of fries, and dipped them happily in the shake.

"Sorry," she said a little sheepishly. "I'm not one to turn down an offer like this, and seeing you eat it made me crave it. Didn't mean to seem rude."

"It's fine. Are you always so eager to take other people's food?"

The blonde shrugged. "Depends on what they're eating."

"Fair enough."

"So, Zoe. What did you do in the Enchanted Forest?"

Panic rose in Regina's chest again. "Nothing special, or interesting." She started sifting through her brain again, knowing the other woman wouldn't let the subject drop.

"Well, that depends on your definition of interesting. Tell me. I won't laugh if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not embarrassing, just bland."

"After the things I've done, I kinda crave a little blandness."

Regina took another deep breath. Giving Zoe a back-story was taking this charade much too far, but it seemed too late to turn back. "I lived in an archive."

"An archive? Like a library?" Emma asked.

"Mostly. It wasn't the kind of library you're thinking of. It was a house of texts, and of preservation. I was a scribe and a translator. Most people were only one or the other, but I'm a polyglot, you see."

"A poly-what? No offense, but that sounds like a disease of some sort."

Regina rolled her eyes at the blonde's ignorance. "I'm multilingual, but I can also read and write many of those languages as well. That includes a number of dead languages. I was part of the group charged with preservation and translation.

"Many others were in charge of organizing or moving scrolls and tomes. Others cared for delicate works, or repaired ones that had been damaged or fell into disrepair. That was a different branch of preservation. I took tomes that were much too old to keep in repair, and copied them into blank texts. It took a careful eye and an even more delicate touch. The parchment was cracked and crumbling in many of them, and the ink so faded, it was barely legible.

"I also took works and translated them. Scholars or other archives outside of ours often commissioned those ones. Those texts would then be shipped off, but I was always instructed to make a second copy to be kept within our collection."

"That sounds pretty tough, actually."

"It was arduous and tactile work, something only individuals of great patience would _want_ to do. It required immense attention to detail, and a single mistake or mistranslation could put you back several hours, even days, of work.

"Writing scrolls was the worst. One mistake, and you had to forfeit the whole thing. With this world's technology, that kind of artistry seems to have been lost. Copying words, or writing new ones is done with swiftness. There comes no appreciation for the written word, and what one does write, is so much less permanent."

"What do you mean by less permanent? Like how things can be deleted and stuff?"

"Well, there is that. But I meant something else entirely. When you physically _write_ the words, it's as if you're etching them onto your mind as well. I have so many things memorized from simply writing them down. I know histories, wars, recipes, spells, memoirs..." Regina tapped her temple. "All locked away up here. You can burn an archive, and lose _so_ much, but if you want to destroy it all, you'd have to burn the scribes with it."

"Okay, I don't know where you got this bland idea from, but this is wicked cool. No wonder you said you liked books and stuff. They made up your whole life!" Emma's eyes shone with intrigue. "Does that mean you work at the library in town with Belle?"

"No, I don't. It was closed for the first 28 years of the Curse. And even after Miss French opened it up, I wouldn't have wanted to switch jobs."

"How come?"

"While Storybrooke's library is lovely, it's something completely _other_. I miss the smells of the archives. Burning beeswax, aging parchment, old leather, and I miss the sounds of scratching quills, rustling pages, and the wind echoing in the rafters. It wasn't a glamorous life, but it held great purpose. The library here would offer none of that."

"That makes sense. I can see now how the two differ. So, how many languages do you know?"

"I'm obviously versed in the common tongue, but I also know Latin, High Elvish, Dwarfish, I can write the Fae incantations, and some Arabic. There's also the dead language of Time, and I can understand Mermish, but speaking it is very difficult for a human. Gaelic is a dreadful language to learn, and I know most of the unnamed tongues of the Old Gods."

Emma's jaw dropped when Regina finished her list. " _How_ can you know _that_ many languages? Hell, I barely speak proper English!"

"It was a different time, then. Also, most folk of the Forest spoke poorly, and most couldn't read or write. I was a different breed, and we were kept locked in drafty old archives, isolated from the world outside."

"Yeah, I bet that-" The blonde never finished her statement. A shrill ring came from the woman's pocket, and she groaned. "That's the station calling. Gimme a sec, yeah?" Emma answered the call, speaking concisely. She ended it quickly, concluding that she would, "Be there shortly."

"Do you have to go?" Regina queried.

"Unfortunately, yes. Leroy started another fight down at the Rabbit Hole, and duty calls. Sheriff to the rescue."

"That sounds unpleasant."

"It's more routine at this point. So...can I have your number now?"

Regina cocked an eyebrow at the other woman. "Not tonight, Sheriff. You're going to have to try a little harder."

"That's a challenge, and I totally accept."

"Lovely," Regina said flatly. "Go on, Emma. You have a brawl to break up."

"I'll see you around then. Take care, Zoe." The blonde stood up, and offered Regina a warm, but apologetic smile. When she walked away, the brunette sat at her now-empty booth. The evening had turned into something completely different from her original intentions, but she didn't think it a bad thing. Yes, Regina would be seeing Emma around, and the next time was not going to be an accident.

* * *

Another big shout-out to my Beta, Jasmine. She helped me a lot with this one 3 Don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you all think!


	4. Chapter 4

Hoo boy...where do I start? I'm sorry for the long hiatus. It's been a tumultuous year for me, with lots of changes (some bad, most good). I haven't been able to find my inspiration for a good long while, and now I feel it creeping back. I cannot guarantee regular updates, but I had no intention of abandoning this fic. I appreciate your patience, and I hope I haven't lost you guys totally. Enjoy!

* * *

Regina was grateful to see the closing of another council meeting. Being a monarch with the true and final say in many decisions about running a kingdom was one of the things she sincerely missed about the Enchanted Forest. Since they defeated Pan, and returned from Neverland, things had been quiet and business as usual. Much to her chagrin, she had to admit that things had been boring around the town. Well, as boring as a town full of fairytale folk can be.

Normally, she would watch the council members file quickly from the conference room, but she could feel a headache coming on, and busied herself with gathering up her paperwork instead. Regina always made sure that she was the last one to leave. Something about it made her feel more in control, and she liked control.

However, if there was any person who liked to mess with that equilibrium above all others, it was Emma Swan. So, when Regina looked to up to see that she wasn't alone, she prickled immediately. The blonde was standing behind the chair she had sat in during the meeting, and she looked rather nervous. Her hands were jammed into the pockets of her equally-tasteless blue leather jacket - why did she need to wear that hideous thing indoors anyway - and she was eyeing the brunette apprehensively.

"Miss Swan," Regina huffed out. "Shouldn't you be heading back to the station?" She wasn't normally quite so snippy with the woman, but her headache was getting the best of her.

"I need to have a word with you."

"You had many opportunities to speak up during the meeting. You should have-"

"No," Emma cut in. "It's not the kind of thing to bring up in front of all those people. I need to talk to you privately." Regina opened her mouth to respond, but the blonde held up her hand. "Before you feed me some bull about this being the inappropriate place, or that I should call you or something, I'm gonna have to stop you. "You've been giving me the cold shoulder the whole week. You've ignored my calls, and your secretary keeps telling me your schedule is booked. She's a bad liar, even without my little super power. This is the first chance I've had to confront you."

"Fine, but not in the conference room," Regina said tersely. "Follow me to my office, Miss Swan," She collected her things, and swept past Emma without waiting for any confirmation from the woman. The sound of boots trailing behind her was answer enough.

They entered the immaculate office, the brunette immediately moving to her desk and maintaining her frosty indifference. Emma, for her part, didn't attempt to fill in any of the silence, and she closed the doors behind them. She didn't sit down in front of the desk; she never did. It made her feel too much like a troublesome student sitting in the principal's office.

Regina looked up, also not sitting down. She saw Emma standing, hands crammed deep into her pockets again, and a stony expression on her face. Or was it careful concentration? "Well, Miss Swan, what did you feel the need to corner me for?"

Emma rolled eyes, her shoulders tensing up at the bite in the mayor's tone. "Okay, first, I'm not cornering you. Second..." She paused, seeming to change her answer before it came out. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing is bothering-" Regina stopped mid-protest and frowned. "Wait, what made you think something was upsetting me?"

The corner of the blonde's mouth quirked up slightly. "You only call me 'Miss Swan' these days if something is bugging you. Otherwise, it's just 'Emma' or "Sheriff Swan.' So, what's wrong?"

Part of Regina was bursting to tell the blonde the truth. This was one of those fleeting moments when the woman was actually trying to be friendly toward her, and Regina was lonely and frustrated. Words stuck in her throat. Words she wanted to shout at Emma. Words she wished she could scream, asking why Emma was _so_ closed off around her. She wanted to tell her about Zoe, and she also wanted to just relent and let the sheriff peek behind her fractured walls. She wanted to tell Emma that she did actually like french fries dipped into chocolate milkshakes, and that she was curious to know more about _her_. What she said ended up being none of those things.

"I have a migraine, Emma, and listening to those fools makes me wish I hadn't stopped murdering imbeciles." She wasn't lying about the headache; it was the truth, but it wasn't the kind of truth itching at the back of her head to come out. In some ways, her life lived as a villain was much simpler.

Regina really could just lie about whatever she desired, and she was under no obligation to care about much of anything at all. Her power afforded her the isolation her damaged past desired, and made others bend over backwards to make her wants reality. Her lacking morals meant she didn't have to play fair, she didn't have to be vulnerable, and she definitely did _not_ have to work _with_ the Charmings.

Emma's mouth quirked up in another crooked smile. "Would you mind teaching me? Maybe a good silencing spell?"

"It would take more than a simple silencing spell to truly shut those fools up."

"Hmm..." The blonde feigned deep thought. "What about in the movie _Beetlejuice_ , when Beetlejuice puts a metal plate over the mom's mouth?" Regina leveled her with a blank and unamused stare. "Right, I'm guessing you haven't seen that movie. Pop culture isn't your thing."

"I am aware of Tim Burton's creative psychosis. I'd rather not watch it, nor allow our son to partake in that disturbed man's deranged fantasies," she said matter-of-factly.

"What? Deranged? No! Well, maybe a little, but he's still a genius. What do you know about his stuff anyway? Have you watched any of his movies?"

Regina shifted a little. Not because she was uncomfortable with the topic, or because she wanted to leave, but because this conversation was suddenly terribly normal. They weren't arguing, fighting, or punching each other. They were simply discussing whether or not Tim Burton was a good creator. It felt, if for a moment, the way she sort of felt as Zoe with Emma. She wasn't sure if the feeling in the pit of her stomach was sadness, jealously, or hope.

"There was a rather quiet evening, maybe a year before I adopted Henry, and some channel was playing _Edward Scissorhands_. I thought the miniature synopsis sounded intriguing. I was horrified from beginning to end. It was disturbing, but trying to pretend that it was endearing. I found it to be an extremely off-putting form of satire. I did not enjoy it."

"Hang on," Emma said with disbelief. "You thought that _Edward Scissorhands_ , was bad? That film is Tim Burton's greatest piece! I mean, _Nightmare Before Christmas_ is amazing too, but for different reasons. What's so bad about it?"

Regina looked pointedly at Emma. "Because, it's about terrible, judgmental people trapped in a pastel neighborhood torturing a creature, which, in my opinion, never should have existed in the first place, for not being human _enough_. By all means, dear, tell me what is _not_ bad about it?"

"Johnny Depp's acting is really good?" the blonde offerd, with a mild shrug. "I don't watch the movie to have my moral compass guided by it. It's a good, bittersweet story."

Regina nodded her head in a fair-enough kind of way. "I assume you didn't corner me to interrogate me about my well-being or taste in films. What did you want to talk about?" As soon as the words left her mouth, there was an immediate shift in Emma's demeanor. When they were casually discussing movies, Emma was physically more relaxed. She had her thumbs hooked into the pockets of her jeans, and she leaned with her weight on her right leg, allowing the left one stick out slightly in a cocky sort of power stance. Once the topic had been shifted back to Emma's original reason for being there, her body tensed up, and she seemed incapable of standing in one position.

"Right, yeah, I almost forgot," the blonde murmured. Her jaw was set, and she avoided eye contact for the long moment of silence that stretched between them. Regina waited as patiently as she could, but the ache in her head was pounding a strong rhythm in her temple.

"I came here to apologize, actually." Emma bit out the words as though she expected a bullet to fly through her chest for them.

Regina frowned deeply, meeting the blonde's gaze. "You what?" An apology was the last thing she expected from the younger woman, and she had to swallow down the knee-jerk suspicion that it was some kind of game.

"Weird, right? But I really did want to say I'm sorry. For the other night, at your place. I was really rude to you. You're not a chickenshit, and you're still the strongest person I know. I guess I got frustrated with the fact that you don't trust me, but then I remember how I treated you. We were really hard on each other, and I get it. So, yeah...I'm sorry for what I said."

"I...thank you," Regina conceded quietly, if a bit awkwardly. "But remember, Emma, that I tried to poison you, which very nearly resulted in the death of our son. It's a bit of a step up from punches in the graveyard. Whatever you have done to me..." The brunette sucked on her teeth. This admission of hers was about as painful as hugging Snow White. "Well, it pales in comparison."

Emma smiled, and let out a short puff of air through her nose. "Yeah, but I didn't believe you about Archie. Look how that ended. I still...I should have-"

"Emma, stop. Everything pointed to me. My mother was possibly better at manipulating people than Gold. Were I in your shoes, I wouldn't have believed me either."

"Yeah, but I _knew_ you weren't lying! I knew you were telling the truth, Regina. I should've fought harder." The steely glint in her eyes masked the remorse Emma was obviously feeling, but the brunette saw past through it.

Regina stepped out from behind her desk, and she closed the distance between herself and the Savior. It seemed to be common occurrence for them to invade each other's spaces. Emma never did back away, and Regina held her gaze. It had changed, the mayor noted. When they used to square off like this, the blonde always looked defiant, almost a little pouty. She was used to standing up to people who tried to make her less, and Regina was definitely one of those people.

Now, there was a shift. When she looked into those green eyes, there was still that characteristic splash of rebellion, but it wasn't filled with contempt, like always. There was sorrow, regret, guilt, and even a little tenderness. She had grown and even matured during her time in Storybrooke, and in that time, she had learned to let her guard down some. She grew to trust Regina, and the brunette didn't know how to feel about it.

"Emma, it happened. There is no changing the past." The blonde opened her mouth to protest, but it was Regina's turn to silence her. "More than that, I don't blame you for it. Like I said, I would not have believed me either. The Gods only know, maybe I deserved it, but it's done. The fact that you defended me at all..."

"We've come a pretty long way, haven't we?" Emma smiled softly, and suddenly they felt uncomfortably close. "Regina, look...I'm sorry about what I said about you being lonely and stuff. It's tough, being ostracized. If you really do want to hang out some time, you know how to find me. We don't even have to be around other people," Emma said a little shyly.

"How romantic," Regina said sarcastically, and she broke their close proximity, heading back to her desk.

"No, I'm serious. There are some nice trails I use for jogging in the woods, and there usually aren't many people at the docks. Or, we could stay in, and I can educate you on the merits of Tim Burton." She flashed a smug smile to the older woman.

"I think I'll pass on the latter."

"That's not a no for my other offer."

"Your powers of observation are without measure."

"So, that's a yes, then? To hanging out sometime?" Emma shifted her weight nervously, but her eyes continued to bore into Regina.

"Emma..." The brunette sighed wearily, rubbing at her temples.

"Right, your headache. I'll get out of your hair for now. Just, please, Regina...I'm not playing you, or working an angle. If you're looking for someone to talk to, you know how to find me." She flashed a half smile, turning to leave. Her steps were halted by the other woman's voice.

"Miss Swan?" There was an uncharacteristic uncertainty in Regina's voice, catching both women slightly off-guard. "May I ask you a question?" She was standing rigidly behind her desk, hands clasped tightly in front of her, chin jutted out defiantly.

Emma regarded the mayor closely, but she was unable to figure out exactly what she was looking for. She nodded her head in affirmation, hooking her thumbs into her belt loops, and waited for the question.

"Why are you trying so hard?" She forced herself to not wince at her own words. They sounded so weak and pathetic, filling the emptiness of the office.

"What do you mean by trying so hard?" Emma's question was not mocking, and the tilt of her head told Regina that the blonde didn't understand the context of the question.

"You've won, Emma. You have your life, and your family, and you have Henry! Two men chase you down, and I'm half expecting you to acquire a dog for yourself. The only reason you and I have ever worked together was for a common goal: protecting Henry. He is safe now, and there are no threats, so why do you keep trying to be in my life?" Regina huffed out the words, frustration racing through her veins. A frown was etched upon her face, and it only deepened when she saw the other woman's face break into a smile.

"You're right, Regina. The only time we've worked together was to save Henry, and in all those times, I got to see glimpses of you...the real you. Not the Mayor, or the Evil Queen, or a villain. I got to see you as the woman you are.

"Through all of that, I found that you understood me better than just about any other person in my life. You were someone who understood broken edges and endless abandonment. I found a friend. That's why I keep trying so hard And for the record, _I_ didn't win. _We_ won, and that couldn't have happened without you."

Regina stood speechless. Part of her had been trying to pick some kind of fight with Emma, something to hold the woman at distance again. She had hoped to spark the Sheriff's defensive side. Instead, she got an answer that was honest and heartfelt. Regina really hated the sickeningly honest-hearted Charming Family.

Once again, Regina wanted to demand why Emma didn't treat her like she treated Zoe, but she had to choke back her words for two reasons. The first being that Zoe had never tried to kill Emma, and the second being that Emma was actually treating her like she treated her alter ego a few minutes ago. They were just playfully bantering about Tim Burton. Perhaps it was Regina who had been stopping any solid friendship from forming between them, and perhaps she felt like she might want that to change.

The brunette swallowed hard. "That was-"

"Too much, huh?" Emma tried to fill in.

"No. I'd say it was unfamiliar. I don't have a lot of people coming by to tell me such things. I do appreciate your honesty though, Emma."

"Hey, we're on the same side now, right?" The blonde flashed an irritatingly encouraging smile at her.

"Unfortunately, we are."

Emma rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll let her Royal Sassiness get back to treating her headache. See you around, Regina."

"Miss Swan? Perhaps, in the near future, you'd like to come over for a glass of wine?" The brunette tried to keep her voice dispassionate, but she couldn't choke back the hopefulness that bled into her words.

"Perhaps, Madame Mayor, I would like that very much."

* * *

I currently have no beta, but I'll be fixing that, so all mistakes are entirely my own. Comments are always appreciated, and again, thanks for everything!


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